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So I have fun tiki-themed pinup photos by Holly West Photography to share, this time from Skipper World Headquarters.

The Skippers have added a beautiful tiki lounge to their home, complete with huts, outrigger canoes, a bar, and a swanky seating area. It went perfectly with my vintage Alfred Shaheen bombax print dress, bakelite tribal necklace, and Dixiefried leopard-print Glamor swimsuit. The lovely and talented Rockwell DeVil did my makeup and hair.

Kali in Shaheen, with parasol. This sounds like one of those super-literal impressionist painting titles.

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Not too long ago, my friend Jessica recommended the retro designs of Hearts & Found, an Etsy company offering a vast array of pretty vintage styles in pretty prints. While perusing the shop, I found a lovely Hawaiian sundress (similar to a Shaheen design) with shoulder ties and a full skirt. Even better, it was pictured in a soft black-and-white cotton fabric featuring great white sharks! While not exactly a shark fan, I found the art charming and the color scheme bold and attractive – perfect to combine with colorful cropped cardigans and bakelite jewelry!

Hearts and Found Shark Dress

My boyfriend purchased the dress for me for my birthday. We chose the standard XL size because it was close to my current measurements, and it ended up being the right choice. That said, you don’t have to settle for the standard sizes. In general, the options offered seem limitless. You can get custom sizing. You can choose to combine elements of more than one standard dress design. You can pick any fabric listed at the storefront (and there are dozens of options to choose from!). Best of all, the prices are reasonable and their labor practices are fair. Continue reading “Shark Week: Hawaiian sundress by Hearts & Found!”

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I’m a natural brunette with black hair, so I don’t necessarily share the title sentiment of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but I do love Marilyn Monroe and enjoy her William Travilla- designed wardrobe from the 1953 film. Recently, Esther of MorningstarPinup on Etsy made me a custom version of the green-top, dark-pants, lavender sash outfit Marilyn’s character, Lorelei Lee, wears in the movie. Continue reading “A Marilyn Monroe-inspired 1950s pants outfit from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”

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I recently received this beautiful vintage Hawaiian dress by Kamehameha, worthy of an immediate walk around the block. Literally, as I wore it to see President Bill Clinton speak at a Hillary Clinton organizing event down the street from my house. I figured the blue and white cattleya orchid print offered the correct partisan colors. To finish the patriot look, I added bakelite in red, black, and yellow plus a red MAK cardigan to match the small red accents in the print.

Kamehameha Vintage DressKamehameha Vintage Dress

This specific style and print have been favorites of mine for awhile now. Special thanks to Erika of Frosted Kookie Vintage for letting me take it off her hands!

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Happy new year! I’ve resolved to spend more time blogging this year, so I’m starting with my New Year’s Eve outfit. After seeing a beautiful mid century-style sari dress by Jeannette Redhead of Redhead’s Vintage on the Ooh La La! Vintage Facebook group, I promptly ordered one.

Sari Dress

I’ve always loved the bright blue sari dress worn by Shirley MacLaine in the 1960 classic film Ocean’s Eleven, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to have one of my own! While we couldn’t find a sari in quite the right blue color, Jeannette did discover several gorgeous color options for me. I picked a rich emerald green with gold accents and she got straight to work. Continue reading “A new mid century-style sari dress for the new year!”

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Last year, Missy of Miss Missy Photography and I put together some beautiful old Hollywood-inspired images. I’ve posted at least one already, but there are more that I’ve saved for a special occasion like this one. As the Christmas season is rapidly approaching, I thought I’d share these festive images.

We chose poses and lighting to emulate various movie star shoots from the 1930s and 1940s by Hollywood glamor photographer George Hurrell, which turned out rather well. I’m always happy with the inspiration and professionalism Missy brings to her work, as it shows in the finished products! More photos after the jump! Continue reading “Old Hollywood glamor pinup for the holidays!”

Love: A good fabric, a delightful print. I have found a name, a cartoon character – Miss Frizzle. Except I do not have a magic school bus, or a pet iguana on my shoulder. I am a high school English teacher with three cats, The Empurress Velvet, and the boys, the bards of meow who purr in iambic pentameter – William Shakespurr and Mister Edgar Allan Paw. One of my students asked me today if the print on my dress was sushi? The print is not sushi, it is Mary Blair’s kittens drinking from a bowl. Honestly, I wish I had gone down a size in this dress, but with a belt and a camisole it works. The belt it came with it didn’t have any grommets so I went instead with a wide buckled patton leather belt and an old Betsey Johsnon capped sleeve cropped sweater with little pom-pom ties at the top. Honestly, between the pom-poms and the kittens, good grief. However, on a Friday before a three day weekend I need pom poms and Mary Blair’s kittens. Shakespurr eyed the pom-poms when I got dressed. “Forget about it,” I told him. Though Velvet is the one who has been known to attack pom-poms: many years ago I had a poncho with the most adorable pom-poms, until…..